Mellow Out

One of the many projects launched by Japanese heavy noise god Asahito Nanjo, Mainliner also featured Acid Mothers Temple's Kawabata Makoto on "Motor Psycho Guitar" and free-jazz drummer Hajime Koizumi making a racket underneath. With the stated intention of taking music to new possibilities, the trio unleashed this cyclone of blown-out guitars and haunted vocals in 1995. As far as pure sonic brutality goes, few, if any, records can touch Mellow Out and its three tracks -- two of which are over 15 minutes. In the consistently superb world of Japanese rock, this is one of the major milestones.